Rail strike to hit concert-goers

By Dick Murray, Evening Standard

Last updated at 15:04 18 May 2007

The RMT, Britain's largest rail union, has changed the date of a train strike to make it difficult for people to reach Saturday's Live8 concert. The move comes after union leaders publicly expressed their support for the Make Poverty History campaign.

The 24-hour strike, which will disrupt Midland Mainline services between St Pancras, the East Midlands and Sheffield, will also delay those heading for Wimbledon.

Four previous strikes, part of a dispute over guards, have all taken place on Fridays. An RMT spokesman is quoted as saying: 'We are not going to weep crocodile tears over the consequences of our industrial action. If we are going to take strike action we need it to have the desired effect of getting the company to the table to negotiate.'

A spokesman for Midland Mainline said: 'We will be running almost all timetabled services.'

Five trains have been cancelled - but the only ones from the north to London which will not run are the 18.52 and 19.52 Nottingham to St Pancras.

The row is over the numbers of guards on trains made up of multiple units - where smaller trains are joined to form a larger service. Because of the design, there is no access along the full length of the extended train.

The company says only one guard is necessary but will provide two when staff are available. RMT leader Bob Crow said: 'This dispute is about safety and the need for a guard in each portion of a multiple-unit train. The company is well aware one guard cannot possibly cover the whole of a multiple-unit train because there is no access between units.'